Mirassou Winery Celebrating Over 150 Years of Winemaking Celebrating Over 150 Years of Winemaking
Share This on Twitter Share This on Facebook
Contact Us

Storing Wine

I'm often asked about how to store wine, how long will it last, and how can you tell if it's not good anymore. Here are some guidelines I use:

  • Wine is a living thing, and it loves to live in a location that is cool- 64 degrees is just perfect. Keep your wine in the dark as the sun can change the way a wine will age. Wine should be stored on its side keeping the cork wet.
  • The best way to store wine once opened is to use a product like Private Reserve or Vineyard Fresh. These add a protective layer of gas above the wine to help keep the oxygen away from the wine, which will help make the bottle last over a week. I also store opened wine in the refrigerator, which will last for two days.
  • Some people I meet worry about wine being past its prime. This rarely happens, especially if you keep track of your wines in a wine journal. Consider these tips:
    • Red wines are better suited for laying down
    • White wines change color when they age, and when they start to go bad, they become more yellow or golden in color.
    • Give wine a nice sniff before you serve it to your guests, looking for any unusual smells. If your wine smells like vinegar, then it is bad.
    • If your bottle is leaking, this does not necessarily mean it's bad. Set the bottle right side up and try it out over dinner – just make sure to have a back-up wine to replace it if the wine tastes or smells off.
    • An older wine changes much faster than a young wine in your glass. Older wines tend to have less fruit, but many times they have more depth and complexity.
    • If your wine is old enough to have sediment, set the bottle right side up for a day or two. When you're ready to serve it, pour the wine gently into a glass or decanter, being careful to leave the sediment in the bottle. Looking through the neck of the bottle with candlelight will help you see the sediment.

 

HOME | Our Wines | Buy Mirassou | Food & Wine Recipes | Winery & History | Wine Education | Weddings & Wine | Wine & Golf | Contact Us

California Table Wine, © Mirassou Winery, Modesto, Stanislaus Co., CA. All rights reserved.

California Table Wine, © Mirassou Winery, Healdsburg, CA. All rights reserved.

Use of this site is subject to the use agreement and privacy policy and trademarks.